Support and handle for cameras and synchronizers



July 7 1953 s. MENDELsoHN 2,644,381

SUPPORT AND HANDLE FOR CAMERAS AND SYNCHRONIZERS Filed Nov. 3o, 1949 .l /f`p' ATToR Patente'd July 7, 19,53

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE SUPPORT AND HANDLE FOR CAMERAS AND SYNCHRONIZEES 4 claims. 1

The present invention relates to a camera synchronizer and more particularly to a support for the synchronizer and camera wherein such support also serves as a handle for holding the mounted camera and synchronizer during the taking of a photographic exposure.

It has heretofore been customary in the art to mount the synchronizer unit by means of a clamp to the side of a camera in more or less permanent arrangement, which thus fixes the position of the photoflash lamp and the reflector therefor, in a definite relationship to the camera lens. While in general this has proven satis= factory in the taking of photoflash lamp exposures, it has not been conducive of most eili= cient results, as often the projected beam of light from the photoiiash lamp and its reflector is not concentrated on precisely the same area of an object to be photographed as viewed by the camera lens. In other words, assuming the camera lens to be equivalent to a light beam, it is highly desirable in most instances to have the axis of the light beam from the camera lens coincide with the axis of the light beam projected by the photoflash lamp precisely at the object to be photographed. In still further instances it is desirable to have the cross-sectional area of the light beam from the photolash lamp and reflector not only coincide with the axis of the camera lens, but to have the actual light beam cover a greater area of the object, which can be obtained only by varying the objectdistance between the camera and object on the one hand, and that between the object and the* photoiiash lamp and reflector on the other hand. Heretofore, so far as I am aware this has not been possible because of the substantially permanent mounting of the synchronizer unit in a iixed position relative to the camera.

It is accordingly the primary object of the present invention to provide a, support for a camera and a synchronizer unit which enables the ready adjustment of the light beam projected by the synchronizer unit, so as to coincide with the axis of the light beam observed by the camera lens, at the object to be photographed and at substantially any variation in object-distance between the camera and object and the synchronizer unit and object.

Another object of the present invention is the provision -of a support for a camera and synchronizer unit wherein the latter is mounted for axial and telescopic adjustment relative to the Support with the latter serving as a handle by which the device may be held by a photographer during the taking of a photographic exposure.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a support for a camera and synchronizer unit wherein the latter is mounted for axial and telescopic adjustment relative to the support with the latter serving as a handle lby 'which the device may be held by a photographer during the taking of a photographic exposure and from which support the synchronizer unit may be readily detached when desired to alter the object-distance between the latter and the object to be photographed.

Still further objects -of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in crosssection showing a support for a camera and synchronizer unit in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the synchronizer unit in an adjusted extensible position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the support of the present invention as shown in the preceding gures,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the synchronizer unit in a detached position relative to the supporting handle of the present invention,

Figure 5 is a disassembled side elevational view of the synchroniser unit which is attachable to the support of the present invention, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View partly in crosssection of a modificati-on which the support of the present invention may take.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the

ypresent invention as shown in Figure 1, cornprises a base member 5, which may take the form of a bar or triangular plate, to the larger area portion of which a camera 6 is secured by means of a knurl-headed screw 1. At the opposite end or smaller area portion the base member 5 is provided with an elongated tubular sleeve 8, closed at the bottom thereof by an annual plate or disc Q integral with the sleeve,

and with the latter being secured to the base/ 'Y Y member E by a knurl-headed screw Vlll/similar to the screw l. The synchronizer unit i2, comprising the battery case I3 with its reflector I4 .and photoflash lamp/"I5, telescopically engages the sleeve and is held therein by a springpressed plunger I6 which engages openings l1 provided at spaced intervals in .the wall of the battery case I3, so as to hold the latter in various telescopically adjusted positions relative to the sleeve 8, such as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Also by slightly loosening the screw I0, the sleeve 8 together with the synchronizer unit carried thereby is axially adjustable about an axis perpendicular to the base member 5, and may be held in any axially adjusted position by again tightening the screw III.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the battery case I3 houses the batteries I8 which make contact with a metallic contact terminal I9 carried by an insulated block 2D. This block is provided with additional plug contacts 22 to which the control cables 23 are connected, as shown in Figures l, 2, 4 and 5, and the bottom battery is grounded to the casing I3 by a coil spring 24 (Figure 5). To assemble the batteries I8 in the casing I3 they are dropped therein and an upper section 25, provided with substantially L-shaped slots 26 (Figure is then depressed into telescopic engagement with pins 2'I carried by the lower section of the casing I3 and turned slightly, thus forming a bayonet-clutch engagement between the upper section 25 and the remainder' of the casing I3, which holds the batteries I3 in the casing I3 against the tension of the spring 2d.

The synchroniser unit I2 is thus assembled and ready for telescopic insertion into the sleeve il, either in its completely telescoped position shown in Figure '1, when the bottom thereof contacts a coil-spring 28 '(Figure 1), or in an extended position as shown in Figure 2, where it is held in place by the spring-pressed plunger Il engaging the openings I1 in the casing I3. During the taking oi a photograph, the photographer grasps the sleeve B as a handle for holding the photographic unit with one hand while he focuses the camera; and when ready for the exposure he need 'only press a switch button 29 (Figure 5) which causes complete opening of the camera shutter in synchronisrn with the moment of pealr intensity from the photoi'lash lamp I5.

lf for purposes of any particular photograph, the photographer desires to vary the object-distance between the object and the synchroniser unit to make it` greater or less than that between the objectand camera, he need only disconnect the telescopic engagement between the casing I3 and the sleeve 3 as shown in Figure 4. By grasping the sleeve 3 as a handle in one hand, he holds the synchroniser with the other hand in any desired spaced position and, after properly focusing the camera, presses the button 2d to initiate the exposure in the same manner as above described.

By reference now to Figure 6, the modification therein shown comprises connecting the sleeve il to the base member 5 by means ci a hinge 35 which is secured to the base member 5 and to the closure disc 9 of the sleeve Upon loosening ofthe screw Iii this enables the base memloer E to` be moved about the pivot formed by the hinge Se, toiposition the base member 5 in substantially parallel relation 'with the sleeve as shown in dotted lines or" Figure G, for storage and shipment and as described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 130,141, `filed concurrently herewith.

It can 'thus be readily appreciated from the foregoingthat a support for a camera and syn# chrcnizer unit is provided .by the present invention wherein the synchroniser unit is axially and teiescopically adjustable relative to the support. Moreover, the 'synchronizer unit may be readily 4 removed from the support for varying the position and spacing thereof relative to the camera and object and such support constitutes a handle by which the photographer can hold the entire photographic device.

Although two modifications of the present invention have been herein shown and described it is to be understood that still further embodiments thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A support and handle for a camera and synchronizer unit comprising a base member adapted to be secured toa camera and to extend a substantial distance in a horizontal plane relative to the upright portion oi said camera, an elongated cylindrical sleeve having its closed end f pivotally connected to the end of said base member opposite that to which the camera is secured and extending normal thereto to form a handle and adapted to be engaged by the battery case portion of `a synchronizer unit in various telescopic positions relative thereto, and locking means carried by said elongated sleeve and engageable with the battery case portion of said synchroniser unit when inserted therein to retain the latter in its various telescopic positions relative to said elongated sleeve when inserted therein.

2. A support and handle for a camera and synchronizer unit comprising a base member adapted to be secured to a camera and to extend a substantial distance in a horizontal plane relative to the upright position oi said camera, an elongated cylindrical sleeve having its closed end pivotally connected to the end of said base memberv opposite that to which the camera is secured and extendingnormal thereto to form a handle and adapted to be engaged by the battery case portion of a synchroniser unit in various telescopic positions relative thereto, said elongated sleeve with said telescopically engaged synchronicer unit being rotatably adjustable about the pivotal connection oi the closed end of said elongated cylindrical sleeve to said base member, and locking means carried by said elongated sleeve and engageable with the battery case portion of said synchroniser unit to retain the latter in its various telescopic positions relative to said elongated sleeve when inserted therein.

3. A support and handle for a camera and synchroniy'er unit comprisinga base member adapted to be secured to a camera and to extend a substantial distance `in a horizontal plane relative to the upright position of said camera, an elongated cylindrical sleeve having its closed end pivotally connected to the end of said base mem.- ber opposite that to which the camera is secured and extending normal thereto to form a handle and adapted `to be engaged by the battery case portion of a synchroniser unit in various telescopic positions relative thereto, said elongated sleeve with said telescopically engaged synchronizer unitl being'rotatably adjustable about the pivotal connection oi the closed end of said elongated cylindrical sleeve to said base member, and a spring-pressed plunger vcarried by said elon- 'gated sleeveand engageable with openings provided in the battery case p'ortion of said synchronizer unit `to retain the latter in its 4various telescopic positions relative to said elongated sleeve when inserted therein.

- Ll. A support and handle for a camera and synchronizer unit comprising an elongated base member provided )with a fastening screw adapted to engage a camera and extending a substantial distance in a horizontal plane when' secured to said camera, an elongated cylindrical sleeve having its closed end secured to said base merober by a fastening screw engaging the closed end thereof to form a pivotal connection to enable rotary adjustment of said elongated cylindrical sleeve relative to said base member and for firmly securing said sleeve to said base member in any desired rotatably adjusted position, said elongated cylindrical sleeve adapted to be engaged by the battery case portion of a synchronizer unit in various telescopic positions relative thereto, and a spring-pressed plunger carried by said elongated cylindrical sleeve and engageable with openings provided in the battery case portion of said synchronizer unit to retain the latter in its various telescopic positions relative to said elongated cylindrical sleeve when inserted therein and to cause rotary move- 6 ment of said synchronizing unit along with said elongated cylindrical sleeve about the pivotal connection formed by its fastening screw upon adjustment of said elongated cylindrical sleeve.

SAMUEL NIENDELSOHN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,979,942 Johnson et al Nov. 6, 1934 2,049,735 Grogin Aug. 4, 1936 2,176,972 Lindahl Oct. 24, 1939 2,295,853 Ley Sept. l5, 1942 3,310,165 Steiner Feb. 2, 1943 2,314,829 Hunter Mar. 23, 1943 vFOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 185,986 Switzerland Aug. 31, 1936 

